• Nigerians are suffering, NUJ tells President
• As Nasarawa chapter inaugurates new exco
Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has said the arbitrary increase in the pump price of petrol showed the insincerity of President Bola Tinubu in addressing the plight of Nigerians under the prevailing economic situation.
Reacting to the fuel price hike, caused by Tinubu’s announcement of subsidy removal, CNPP described further increment, less than two months after, as a fresh pointer that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government “has never been sincere with Nigerians” on the subsidy issue.
However, the group backed the House of Representatives on the move “to investigate overnight destruction, recently, of a vessel with stolen Nigerian crude oil without investigation or prosecution of the culprits.”
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, James Ezema, the CNPP explained: “The Nigerian oil industry is permeated with a lot of corrupt practices that require open investigation, if there must be an end to the suffering of Nigerians as a result of petroleum resources God gave the country.
“For many years, the free gift of nature has been a source of pain and suffering for the citizens, that many have been asking whether crude oil deposits in Nigeria are meant to worsen the living conditions of the masses or not.”
CNPP noted that sometime in May 2016, the APC-led Federal Government had announced the removal of subsidy on petrol; hence, Nigerians paid N145 per litre from May 11, 2016.
The parties urged Tinubu to deal with the corruption in Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, if he is ready to sanitise the oil industry.
MEANWHILE, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has appealed to the Federal Government led by Tinubu to prioritise addressing the hardship Nigerians are going through as a result of petrol subsidy removal.
President of NUJ, Chris Isiguzo, made the call during the Perennial Delegate Congress of NUJ, Nasarawa State Council, in Lafia, yesterday.
Represented by the Vice President of NUJ, Zone D, Chris Alefikwu, the president said the Federal Government needed to urgently redouble its efforts to alleviate the untold hardship citizens bear at the moment.
The leader of journalists in the country congratulated the new officials of Nasarawa NUJ and urged them to live above board in the line of duty.
Isiguzo, who commended the maturity displayed by journalists in the re-election, said the inauguration of the chapter’s executive committee proved that the chairman did well in his first tenure.
He called on journalists to continue doing their job without fear or favour and adhere strictly to professional ethics.
The NUJ president also called on members to support the new officials to succeed.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of Nasarawa NUJ, Salihu Alkali, commended members of the council for their unwavering support in promoting good journalism practice in the state.
Alkali appreciated Governor Abdullahi Sule for supporting the union.
He promised to sustain his inclusive policies to protect, improve and better the welfare of members.
“I assure you that we will not fail while discharging our duties, as I will sustain my good policies and programmes for improved members’ welfare,” he said.
The five executive members re-elected alongside Alkali of Precious FM are Sunday John of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as Secretary; Anna Kuje of Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) as Treasurer; Mr. Solomon Abari of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as Financial Secretary and Abubakar Ayigu of Information Ministry as Assistant Secretary.
